Means for starting automobiles



Nov. 22, 1938. c. ELDER MEANS FOR STARTING AUTOMOBILES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 25, 1937 TDMH/NS THWYS $2 r/W m,

Nov. 22, 1938. c ER 2,137,894-

MEANS FOR STARTING AUTOMOBILES Filed Oct. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTOP 6 5205? Patented Nov. 22, 1938 units!) STATES PATENT oFFlcE Application October 23, 1937, Serial No. 170,590 In Great Britain January 21, 1937 4. Claims.

My present invention relates to means for starting internal combustion engines. As is well-known a common cause of trouble with internal combustion engines is that in starting up,

particularly in cold weather, the self-starter as at present adopted frequently exhausts the supply of current from the usual battery, which in most cases is either a six volt or twelve volt battery, and frequently the heavy discharge consequent upon attempts to start up a cold engine results in loss of tension at the sparking points of the usual sparking plugs so that firing only takes place, if at all, in an-irregular manner. It is desirable in the proper maintenance of internal combustion engines to ensure ample supply of current to drive the usual starting motor under the load of the cold engine, as well as very efficient sparking at the plug points when starting up cold, and quite frequently it is impossible to obtain both simultaneously. The object of this invention is to enable a starting motor adapted to be driven from a low voltage, e. g. six or twelve volts, source of current, to be coupled readily to a mains supply, and when the engine is turning over to disconnect the mains supply and bring into operation the normal low voltage source of current. Another object of this invention is to enable very efllcient sparking at the plug points to take place concurrently with the use of mains supply for driving the usual starting motor without utilizing the normal low voltage source of supply for ignition purposes.

Broadly my present-invention is characterized by a starting motor and means to selectively couple it to battery and mains supply combined with means to obtain an induced E. M. F, from the mains supply corresponding approximately to the voltage of the battery.

In carrying one embodiment of my invention .into practice the starting motor is adapted to be connected to an A. C. mains supply via a transformer, and at the appropriate time to D. 0. supply from the customary battery so that it will be seen that a practical embodiment of this invention involves the selective use of both A. C. and D. C. for the motor and also for generating sparking at the customary sparking plug points. I have discovered that with the normal coil ignition circuit employing an interrupter that A. C. connection of an intermittent nature to the primary of the coil causes during the make periods a continuous stream of discharge, resulting in greater tension at the points of the plugs than is normally possible with the customary D. C. source of supply which merely produces a single flash over form of spark frequently of low tension when starting up. This continuous stream of discharge is exceptionally efficient in firing a poorly vapor ized mixture.

In order that this invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect two sheets of drawings are appended hereto diagrarm matically illustrating an embodiment thereof, and wherein:-

Fig. 1 shows the normal connection to battery for starting up.

Fig. 2 shows the connection to mains supply for starting up, and

Fig. 3 shows a slight modification enabling the heavier part, i. e. the transformer of the equipment to be separate from the vehicle, advantage being taken of this figure to show the neutral or normal running position of the main switch.

Referring to the drawings the customary six or twelve volt battery is shown diagrammatically and indicated by the reference numeral I. The starting motor is shown diagrammatically at 2 and is of the four brush type, the battery being connected via the field 3 to the opposed brushes B and B. The drawings show diagrammatically a switch constituted by blades 4, 5, 6 and H connected together for movement as a single element, the blade 4 co-operating with two contacts one of which, I), is connected to the brush B and the other of which c is connected to a brush C which is one of a pair C C adapted to be connected to A. C. source of supply.

The A. C. source of supply is connected up for use by a plug-in or other suitable connector 1,

the plug element of which is formed on one end of a flex 8 also carrying at its other end a plug 9 for plugging in to a suitable A. C. supply wall plug or other available connecting element. On a motor road vehicle the socket element of the plug-in connecting device I would be fitted at a conveniently accessible part, and the flex 8 would be available for plugging-in when required. The mains voltage is connected by means of a transformer l0 so that the voltage corresponds with that of the battery I. The secondary of the transformer is connected at one end to the brush C and at the other end at the oppropriate time to the field 3, the latter connection being effected by the switch blade 5 which is permanently connected to the field and moves across a contact la connected to the battery I and a contact Illa connected by switch blade 6 and contact 8a to the transformer.

It will be understood that any suitable form of switch can be provided for effecting the desired change over, the preferred arrangement being one in which the switch lever or its equivalent automatically returns to a neutral position when released.

W'hen induction coil ignition is employed with the engine the transformer can be connected by a lead ii to the induction coil l3 via the customary make and break contacts I of the interrupter. By this means when starting up from the mains supply alternating current flows via the contacts 36 (when closed) through the primary of the induction coil iii to produce in the secondary of the induction coil a' high voltage oppropriate to the requirements of the sparking plug l5. During the break of the interrupter, although there is a condenser placed in the circuit in the normal manner, the reactance of this condenser at town supply frequency is such as to prevent sufficient current to pass through the primary of the induction coil, and therefore prevents the secondary voltage from rising high enough to cause a spark. The application of the alternating current in this manner, causes, during the period of the making of interrupter contacts, a continuous stream of discharge, instead of one flash over, thereby ensuring a much easier ignition of the compressed petrol and air vapour. The customary ignition switch is indicated at i6, and the switch for transferring the connection to the induction coil I! from the battery I to the transformer i0 is constituted by the pair of blades indicated at I! adapted to alternately engage a contact l8. It will be evident that all of the switch elements I, 5, 6 and H can be connected to comprise a single switch so that the same connection is made to the starting motor and the induction coil l3 simultaneously. An extension Ila is provided on the switch element I! to engage the contact l8 when the switching means is in the neutral position, to enable the battery to be connected to the coil l3. If a motor of the four brush type is not already fitted, a universal type adapted for the appropriate voltage and wattage can be fitted. The necessary transformer for carrying out this object and supplying the alternating potential to the induction coil is carried on the car chassis, and can be readily connected to the mains supply by a flexible lead. Once the engine has come menced to revolve by this means of ignition, a rapid change-over can be made by a switch to the battery which is normally carried on the car. This method of applying alternating current to the ignition system of an engine is not limited to the method herein described, but can be equally applied to any other method of starting, such as where a hot wire energized from a battery is used instead of by a normal induction coil.

It will be understood that the present invention is applicable to gas and Diesel engines and generating plant where circumstances involve repeated starting up of the engine. If desired the whole of the switching arrangement and circuit shown can be embodied on a motor road vehicle with the exclusion of the transformer, the transformer being part of s garage equipment. In such event the socket member of the plug-in or equivalent connection I would be connected to the part of the circuit which is to be connected to the secondary of the transformer, and the flex 0 would be connected to the secondary as indicated in Fig. 3. I

I claim:--

1. In combination an internal combustion eu-v gine, a four brush starting motor, a transformer with a primary and secondary, and with its primary adapted for connection to commercial source of A. C. supply, means to effect such connection, a battery, an ignition system for the engine, leads connecting the battery to the field of the starting motor and a pair of opposed brushes. leads connecting the secondary of the transformer to the other two brushes, leads connecting the ignition system to the transformer and to the battery. and switching means connecting the ignition system and four brush starting motor simultaneously selectively to the transformer and the battery.

2. An auxiliary starting system for starting an internal combustion engine selectively from I.

stepped down A. C. commercial supply and from a D. C. supply comprising a battery, to comprise the D. C. supply, a four brush starting motor, leads connecting the motor brushes and field sppropriate thereto to the battery, further leads connected to the brushes and field, a connector with said further leads for connection to the A. C. supply, and switching means for changing the connection of the four brush motor from bsttery to said connector.

3. An auxiliary starting system for starting on internal combustion engine selectively from s stepped down A. C. commercial supply and from a D. C. supply comprising a. battery, to comprise the D. C. supply, a four brush starting motor, leads connecting the motor brushu and field appropriate thereto to the battery, further leads connected to the brushes and held, s connector with said further leads for connection to the A. 0. supply, an engine ignition system, means connecting said ignition system to the battery and said further leads, and switching means to connect the starting motor and the ignition system simultaneously selectively to the battery and the said further leads.

4. An electrically operated starting means for use with internal combustion engines, comprising a four brush starting motor, a battery to which an opposed pair of brushes are connected, and means for connecting the other two brushes to an A. C. mains supply, means to obtain an induced E. M. F. from the A. C. mains supply corresponding to the voltage of the battery, Ind switching means to change from one source of supply and the appropriate pair of brushes to the other source of supply and other pair of brushes.

CLARENCE ELDER. 

